I go to Burrito Parrilla Mexicana in Carol Stream frequently. I go to Big Guys, Lavergne's in Berwyn, Freddies in Cicero. Naf Naf grill in Naperville. Adelle's in Wheaton as well as Gia Mia Pizza Bar. Steamboat BBQ. Labriola in Lombard, as well as Greek Islands. Breakfast or lunch spots I go to Butterfields, Red Apple or Egg Harbor. I also get soup from the Danada Deli frequently. I go to these places because they are either near my home or near places I frequent. Several times a year we go into Chicago and eat at someplace we have wanted to try. Other places in the burbs I've been to over the past few months are Solstice in Western Springs, Vie, La Barra in Riverside, Fiamme in Naperville.

Toria

"I like this place and willingly could waste my time in it" - As You Like It,W. Shakespeare

toria wrote:I go to Burrito Parrilla Mexicana in Carol Stream frequently. I go to Big Guys, Lavergne's in Berwyn, Freddies in Cicero. Naf Naf grill in Naperville. Adelle's in Wheaton as well as Gia Mia Pizza Bar. Steamboat BBQ. Labriola in Lombard, as well as Greek Islands. Breakfast or lunch spots I go to Butterfields, Red Apple or Egg Harbor. I also get soup from the Danada Deli frequently. I go to these places because they are either near my home or near places I frequent.

Not to hijack this thread with Western burbs talk, since we have our own zone for that, but I've been curious about Parrilla. I shop at Caputo's over by there. Also, there's one closer to us opening in West Chicago on Roosevelt. My wife likes Chipotle. I don't hate it, but the kids at the Wheaton store on Roosevelt turn out some of the worst product I've had from the chain. So an alternative would be great!

Naf Naf Naperville has increasingly become a part of our rotation, though the weekday lunch crowd can be a zoo.

The only place I consistently go more than 3 times a year (a pretty low bar for "regularly") is Hoosier Mama, where I find myself at least 20 times a year. When I lived in Ravenswood, Aroy and Budacki's were regular stops and now that I'm in Uptown, Tesfa is.

In no particular order and with no claim of completeness: Manny's, Portillo's, Jim's/Maxwell St Express, Saucy Porka, JPG Graziano, Cafecito, UB Dogs, The Gage, The Florentine, The Dearborn (had to get all the "The's" out of the way!), Cellars Market, Potbelly's, PQM, Zaragoza, Brown Bag Seafood (Randolph), many of the places at Revival Food Hall, Green Street Smoked Meats, Fumare at French Market, Owen & Engine, Eggy's Diner, Walker Brothers (Wilmette), Eleven City Diner.

I love going out for breakfast -- while SO is half asleep across the table, I happily enjoy my coffee and eagerly await my order. He usually gets up to leave at the same time I do. On our rotation:TiztalBongo RoomNookies/EdgewaterBang Bang PieTweetBatter and Berries (if we have an hour to wait)Wishbone

Friday nights we don't want to cook so we go out for something cheap and easy or we order in or carry out. Evanston Chicken Shack (and Hoosier Mama - it's the best one-two punch)In Summer -- Moody's for burgersLou Malnati'sFiresideHouse of Wah SunIf we're ambitious -- Boiler Room in Logan Square (but it's a haul)

Favorites:Five GuysPortillo'sPopeye'sOwen & EngineGeorge's in A-ville for ice cream and treatsJerry's for sammichesA Taste of Heaven for treatsChief O'Neill's HopCat

So it turns out that everyone on this forum goes to the same places . . . Here are my go to spots - my cut off is averaging 2x a year over a two year look back - so off are some places that I love but don't get to that often (e.g. Vito and Nick's, Tank) - but many of these are places that we go to at least once a quarter, and others even more than that (Red Hot Western is probably 2x a month). Fun exercise to think through this, and disappointing to think about places that no longer are around (I went a few years where I was at Nuevo at least once a week).